Best Culinary Arts colleges in the U.S. 2025
When you pursue a culinary arts degree, you pursue the knowledge to run a kitchen, the power to please hungry customers, and the skills to turn food into art. A culinary arts program teaches you more than just how to sauté onions or plate a fanciful meal. You’ll also learn the science behind cooking, the nutritional value of food, kitchen and business management skills, how to keep everything sanitary, and how the world eats.
Studying culinary arts is perfect for students who are passionate about food. However, learning the art of cooking also demands a dedication to pleasing others, a thick skin for when you can’t, and a lot of energy to keep up. Often taught by chef instructors, courses include lessons that challenge your creativity and critical thinking skills. They will require you to perform in both hands-on laboratory environments (cooking in a kitchen) and sit-down classrooms (sometimes with demo kitchens). To prep you for the culinary industry, you’ll also learn how to supervise a food service operation, handle business documents, and work like a professional chef. In the end, you’ll fit into positions such as a food prep supervisor, short-order cook, head chef, nutritionist, baker, or food service manager.
Click Here to See the Best Colleges in the USBest Culinary Arts colleges in the U.S. for 2025
Johnson & Wales University-Providence offers 2 Culinary Arts/Chef Training degree programs. It's a small, private not-for-profit, four-year university in a midsize city. In 2023, 186 Culinary Arts/Chef Training students graduated with students earning 109 Associate's degrees, and 77 Bachelor's degrees.
Southern New Hampshire University offers 1 Culinary Arts/Chef Training degree programs. It's a very large, private not-for-profit, four-year university in a midsize suburb. In 2023, 1 Culinary Arts/Chef Training students graduated with students earning 1 Bachelor's degree.
Nicholls State University offers 2 Culinary Arts/Chef Training degree programs. It's a medium sized, public, four-year university in a small city. In 2023, 46 Culinary Arts/Chef Training students graduated with students earning 32 Bachelor's degrees, and 14 Associate's degrees.
Walnut Hill College offers 2 Culinary Arts/Chef Training degree programs. It's a very small, private for-profit, four-year university in a large city. In 2023, 60 Culinary Arts/Chef Training students graduated with students earning 47 Associate's degrees, and 13 Bachelor's degrees.
Paul Smiths College of Arts and Science offers 3 Culinary Arts/Chef Training degree programs. It's a very small, private not-for-profit, four-year university in a faraway rural area. In 2023, 10 Culinary Arts/Chef Training students graduated with students earning 10 Bachelor's degrees.
Drexel University offers 1 Culinary Arts/Chef Training degree programs. It's a very large, private not-for-profit, four-year university in a large city.
National Louis University offers 3 Culinary Arts/Chef Training degree programs. It's a medium sized, private not-for-profit, four-year university in a large city. In 2023, 99 Culinary Arts/Chef Training students graduated with students earning 59 Associate's degrees, 26 Certificates, and 14 Bachelor's degrees.
Culinary Institute of America offers 2 Culinary Arts/Chef Training degree programs. It's a small, private not-for-profit, four-year university in a large suburb. In 2023, 421 Culinary Arts/Chef Training students graduated with students earning 393 Associate's degrees, and 28 Bachelor's degrees.
College of the Ozarks offers 1 Culinary Arts/Chef Training degree programs. It's a small, private not-for-profit, four-year university in a faraway town. In 2023, 4 Culinary Arts/Chef Training students graduated with students earning 4 Bachelor's degrees.
SUNY College of Agriculture and Technology at Cobleskill offers 1 Culinary Arts/Chef Training degree programs. It's a small, public, four-year university in a faraway town. In 2023, 4 Culinary Arts/Chef Training students graduated with students earning 4 Associate's degrees.
Find local colleges with Culinary Arts majors in the U.S.
List of all Culinary Arts colleges in the U.S.
| School | Average Tuition | Student Teacher Ratio | Enrolled Students | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Johnson & Wales University-Providence Providence, RI | 17 : 1 | 4,372 | |
|
Southern New Hampshire University Manchester, NH | 1,427 : 1 | 184,099 | |
|
Nicholls State University Thibodaux, LA | 24 : 1 | 6,180 | |
|
Walnut Hill College Philadelphia, PA | 8 : 1 | 127 | |
|
Paul Smiths College of Arts and Science Paul Smiths, NY | 12 : 1 | 597 | |